Another big game for Williams, but Terps come up short at Duke

Sophomore center has 23 points, 13 rebounds in Maryland's 71-64 loss

DURHAM, N.C. — As usual, the Duke fans lay in wait Sunday night for Maryland and coach Gary Williams at Cameron Indoor Stadium. "Sweat, Gary, sweat," the Cameron Crazies chanted to the perpetually restless coach.

But this time, the Terrapins made No. 1 Duke sweat.

The Terps, led by Jordan Williams (23 points, 13 rebounds), hung in with the larger, undefeated Blue Devils before falling, 71-64. It was Duke's 25th straight win. Maryland's victory in March on Senior Night at Comcast Center was Duke's most recent loss.

"We played well tonight. We just didn't play well enough," said Jordan Williams, who also had two of Maryland's eight blocked shots.

Maryland trailed by five with 1:28 left after a lay-in by Williams. But Kyle Singler (25 points) put it away with a 3-pointer to make it 70-62 with 55 seconds left.

Singler saved the Blue Devils on a night when the Terps (10-5, 0-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) seemed poised for an upset.

"We came in with intensity level necessary to compete against Duke," Gary Williams said. "Our guys are coming, you know. We're getting better."

Maryland, which lost here by 41 points two years ago and 21 last season, had opened the second half on a 7-0 run to take a 38-32 lead. The Terps weathered an 11-0 Duke run -- led by Seth Curry -- to tie the score at 46 on two inside shots by Cliff Tucker.

Tucker did not start -- freshman Terrell Stoglin got his second straight start and shot just 1-for-10. But Williams knows Tucker can be an explosive scorer off the bench. He scored 12 second-half points, and the Terps trailed 53-52 with seven minutes left.

"In my mind, I feel I'm always a starter," Tucker said. "I feel over four years I've earned my right to start." said the senior, who saw two 3-point attempts rattle out at crucial junctures of the second half.

Duke just had too many weapons.

Led by Curry and Singler, the Blue Devils -- who had shot 42.4 percent in the first half and struggled from the outside -- began to hit their shots.

A 3-pointer by Andre Dawkins put Duke up 61-56. Moments later, Tucker picked up his fourth foul and the Blue Devils stretched the lead to 65-58 on two free throws by Nolan Smith (18 points) with 3:10 left.

Earlier, the Terps had hung around partly because Williams, the sophomore center, and senior forward Dino Gregory (Mount St. Mary) found patches of success against a larger Duke front line that has dominated Maryland in the past. Gregory had eight points and four blocks. Maryland's defense forced Duke -- which leads the conference in turnover margin -- into 17 turnovers.

Last season, Duke had 20 offensive rebounds here in dispatching Maryland. On Sunday, Williams and Gregory battled foul trouble and asserted themselves.

"Williams is a hell of a player," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Perhaps the Terps were buoyed Sunday by the presence of former star Greivis Vasquez, now with the NBA's Memphis Grizzles. Vasquez was one rebound shy of a triple double in 2007 -- the last time Maryland beat Duke at Cameron. Vasquez, wearing jeans and a red Maryland T-shirt, sat two rows behind the Terps bench.

"Sit down, Greivis," the fans chanted in the second half.

Vasquez visited his former teammates after the game, telling them, "Good game." He told a reporter, "I miss those guys."

Maryland hung in during the first half despite surrendering eight offensive rebounds and 13 second-chance points.

The Terps held Duke to 1-for-10 shooting on 3-point attempts in the first half and trailed 32-31 behind 12 points by Williams on 5-for-8 shooting.

"We're not going to play perfect throughout the whole year," Singler said.

Through both halves, the fans continued their chant of: "Sweat, Gary, sweat." The coach confided before the season that he had hoped for something fresh. He said he thought the Crazies would be more "creative."

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